Field of the Invention
Processes for the separation of liquids or emulsions into components, have rapidly advanced through the development of more sophisticated techniques and equipment. In one of the more advanced practices, liquids, emulsions and solutions are separable into individual components with a high degree of purity when subjected to a pervaporation process prompted by the utilization of membrane separation techniques.
To most effectively utilize this technology, it is found desirable and productively effective to maintain substantially uniform separating conditions throughout the process. Such control is deemed relevant in the instance of separations embodying pervaporation, particularly during consecutive steps or phases.
It is known, for example, that by forcing the subject liquid or solution through consecutive membrane separation steps causing removal of the vaporized permeate, the residual liquid or liquid mixture can be substantially free of the permeate segment.
It is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to provide an apparatus for the pervaporation of a solution or emulsion to achieve a high degree of accuracy and production efficiency in the removal of at least one of the vaporizable segments of the solution.